Five Unique Gift Ideas for Father’s Day.  Because We Deserve It!

It’s June.  Yardwork, home repair, baseball, grilling out and Father’s Day; what’s not to like.  Think of all the reasons to appreciate dad…and then remember how hard he usually is to buy for!   It has been years since the kids have selected ties or belts for dear old dad as a perfect gift. (There is a God!) They’ve learned over the years that dad has hobbies.  A couple of dad’s hobbies are really perfect for gift ideas.  So here are five unique, creative, unusual and totally cool gifts for Father’s Day that dads (like the wine oaf) would richly appreciate.  (Besides, who wears ties anymore?)

Father’ Day Gift Idea One: Dad’s own Branding Iron for grilling out

Perfect for: Dad’s who grill out.  Which is almost every dad I know! 

So here is the idea…dad has the family gathering out on the deck and he is at his usual post…he’s manning the grill.  And what’s on the grill? …dad’s famous steaks, chops, burgers, salmon fillets… just fill in the blanks.  It’s all about tradition.  This is comfort food from the masculine side of the family.  What would be cooler than dad bringing in a platter of burgers or chops and there…right on top…”Dad’s own brand” seared right into the meat.  Alma mater, favorite driver, something clever like “Roadkill” or just a branding iron induced monogram, kind of like a guarantee or trademark cooked into the grill fare. 

Where do you find such a creation? SteakBrands.com Inc.

Father’s Day Gift Idea Two: Cool glassware for enjoying wine

Perfect for: Dad’s who enjoy wine and/or entertain those who do
Crystal is not dad’s “thing”. It looks funny in the hearty hands of the guy who used to put your bicycle back together after you tried to jump the creek with it…for the third time. What does a dad like that deserve to drink wine from.. a much cooler glass. Part tumbler, part wineglass and perfectly built for the enjoyment of wine. Especially red and all dad’s drink reds, right?  Also, decanters improve the wine experience but most of them look a little less than exciting, doesn’t a really cool decanter make a good conversation!  Don’t good cheap wines look even better in a styling decanter?  The one pictured above looks like it came out of a modernistic sci-fi flick..and dad introduced you to sci-fi flicks, remember?  Where do you find pop-pleasing glassware? I found these on wine.com:  Glassware

Father’s Day Gift Idea Three: Great coffee

Perfect for: Duh, dad’s who like coffee maybe?

I wrote about this coffee in an earlier article.  I promised to let you know if I liked the coffee made by Mystic Monks.  I didn’t like it…I loved it!  You don’t have to be Catholic to enjoy coffee made by the monks of  Mystic Monk Coffee. I had a dark roast, my own preference, but there is a great selection of fair trade, organic and lighter fare.  This is kind of a payback for dad staying awake those nights before Christmas’ putting together that bike (you kept wrecking) the first time!

Father’s Day Gift Idea Four: High quality wine tools

Perfect for: Any dad who likes gadgets and enjoys wine

Remember when dad used to have heart-warming talks with you like, “Don’t use my tools if you’re not going to put them away right!” and, “Are you nuts? You can’t use my ratchet as a hammer!”  Ah yes… dad likes his tools.  He has a garage full.  But I bet you he is still opening his wine bottles with a corkscrew similar in quality to a cheap 99 cent plastic handled imported mass-produced screw-driver you would never catch him using to fix a broken mower.  Help dad use the “right tool” for his wine enjoyment.  Rabbit 6-Piece Wine Corkscrew Tool Kit – Corkscrews Accessories

Father’s Day Gift Idea Five: Healthy beef for the grill
Perfect for: The same dad as in every gift idea above!

Dad likes his meat on the grill (and so do you, admit it) but everyone should eat healthier and red meat, sometimes…well, you feel like you need to “sneak a steak“ onto the grill.  (it’s a conspiracy by big-chicken, like big-tobacco only..you know with chicken)  So how can you enjoy your red meats and still eat healthy?  I found La Cense.  They say on their site, Montana raised, no hormones, no antibiotics, no pesticides, no feedlots, no grain..these are grass fed cattle that produce leaner healthier meat.  So, you got to use that new branding iron from Steakbrands on something right?  Here’s a deal from La Cense listed on their website:  
Lacense® Grass-Fed Beef
Buy Delicious Grass Fed Beef. Free Shipping on Orders Over $45!
And  if you succumb to the idea that one should be grilling tuna or salmon instead of steak (not really a compromise, just change the wine!) check out this offer:

Of course there is always the obvious gift of WINE or something more unique like the Wine Club membership programs we reviewed in our article Wine Gifts for Mother’s Day.  Either way, give dad’s gift some thought! (hint, hint) Here is a special from Wine.com:
Get 20% off any 12 month wine club membership at Wine.com! Enter code DAD20 at checkout. Offer expires 6.15.08

Personally speaking, as a father, as a brother and as a son…thanks for everything guys…thanks dad!  Thanks for being last and making those you love first!  Happy Father’s Day from the wine oaf.  And to my kids this message, “Thanks for making me a very proud father!”

Cheers

ShareThis

Being educated in the Catholic school environment creates unique images about the Pope. At 6 or 7 years old you think of the Pope as somewhat mystical surrounded by clouds and floating inches above the floor from place to place. There is just such a reverence and aura that comes with the job. When the Pope celebrates a mass in the US, it’s on TV! That’s how big a deal this man is!  In some nations he’s better known than Oprah!

Growing up Catholic you attend a lot of daily mass celebrations. When you become old enough to be an altar boy, (yes the wine oaf was an altar boy, no I don’t have issues.) you start to associate the ceremony of the mass with things more temporal as well. Serving a mass was cool because of the candles, (can’t light those at home) the incense, (don’t have that at home) and …the wine (pour for the priests but don’t partake!) In honor of Pope Benedict’s visit I wanted to write about my wife’s, and admittedly my, favorite white wine.
The “Moscato D’Asti” wine Saracco is Italian, properly so since we are writing about the Vatican. It is estate bottled by Azienda Agricola Paola Sarocco, Castiglione Tinella, Italy. That could say “Paolo’s farm” for all I know but in Italian, it just sounds cooler.

What Others say:Winemaker’s notes:”Paolo Saracco is known as “The Maestro of Moscato” and for good reason. His Moscato is perfumed with fresh peach, pear and white flowers. A gentle sparkle brightens the fruit and a tingle of sweetness hints of candied fruits.
Moscato d’ Asti is a unique wine where the beautiful aromas of the grapes are enhanced by a crisp, nice acidity, a light fizziness and the sweetness of the natural residual sugar. The low alcohol content makes this wine a very easy, pleasant wine – perfect for finishing a meal with dessert or without food as a nice mid-day break.”

RATING: Serve Proudly to Guests!

My Thoughts: I never thought I would use this phrase, but this wine is absolutely delightful. Serve it cold on a hot evening or by a warm fire and you will get the question you crave as a host, “What is this wine!” Modestly effervescent, somewhat sweet but not too heavy and really pleasant on the tongue. You feel like you are celebrating every time you open a bottle yet at around $18.00 a bottle, it’s a pretty cheap party. I know, I know it’s not ten bucks but still definitely serve to guests!

Catholic Coffee?

Which brings me to another topic. Good coffee and in honor of the Pope’s visit what is better to write about than…Catholic Coffee. Yes, there is such a thing. I should start a GoodCheapCoffeeGuide as well. I enjoy coffee as much as wine with the obvious benefit…I can drink it in more settings, like morning staff meetings. You don’t show up to a budget review meeting with a corkscrew. (They might use it on you!) But a pleasant cup of coffee always is welcome. Besides, if everyone in the meeting is drinking coffee then you are certain to get a break really soon. So, what is Catholic Coffee? Catholic Coffee, again in honor of this post’s theme, is roasted and sold by real monks, mystic monks, yes Mystic Monk Coffee.
Mystic Monk Coffee Reading from their website,”
The Carmelite Monks are a Roman Catholic Monastery that has a great passion for Coffee as an incredible fruit of the earth as well as a way to help Catholic culture.”

So how is their coffee? I have no idea but I will let you know after my order arrives. I’ll brew it on a Sunday Morning (instead of attending church maybe?) and enjoy it on the deck reading the paper and listening to chants. Well maybe not listening to chants. That would really creep out the neighbors. Perfect for First Communion Parties though right? I’ll let you know.

Cheers from the Wine Oaf.

ShareThis